They say visiting China requires multiple trips because of its vast size. For this trip, I focused on Guangzhou and Guilin. I spent 4 nights in Guangzhou, 2 nights in Yangshuo, and 1 night in Guilin.
This trip to Guangzhou actually happened a few years ago, in February 2023, but I didn’t get around to writing this article until 2024, so here I am finally finishing it based on the fragments of memory I still have, haha.
China Visa
Make sure to apply for a tourist visa for China. The process is simple, and the fee is around 500,000 IDR per passport. You can apply in person at the visa office in Mega Kuningan, Jakarta.
Flights to Guangzhou
There are many ways to fly to Guangzhou, but most do not offer direct flights. The option I used, which was affordable (especially during promotions), is AirAsia with a layover in Kuala Lumpur.
For direct flights (about 5 hours) from Jakarta, China Southern Airlines offers the service. During normal times (pre- and post-COVID), the round-trip fare is around 3-4 million IDR. If you fly with another Chinese airline like Xiamen Air, you’ll have a layover in Xiamen. Both airlines are full-service, meaning meals and baggage are included, so the price might not differ much from AirAsia.
Since I flew with AirAsia, I customized my route to save time. I flew from Jakarta to Guangzhou (ticket and baggage under 1 million IDR), and returned from Guilin to Jakarta (ticket and baggage around 1.7 million IDR).
SIM Card
As usual, internet access in China can be a bit complicated. I’ve written a detailed article on how to access the internet in China here. As soon as you arrive at Guangzhou Airport, it’s best to buy a local SIM card to have internet access. Without a map on your smartphone or a translator app, life can be quite difficult here.
You can purchase a prepaid SIM card at the airport, and you’ll need your passport for the purchase. The price for a prepaid SIM card is around 200 RMB.
Guangzhou Airport Train/Bus
It’s highly recommended to take the train to the city if you land at Guangzhou Airport. Simply take Metro Line 3 from the airport; the journey takes about 30 minutes and costs between CNY 2-10, depending on your destination station. The only downside is that the trains can get crowded, so you might have to stand for the entire ride.
Another option is to take the airport bus, which is more comfortable (you’ll definitely get a seat) with multiple routes available. You can buy tickets on the spot, but make sure to do some research beforehand on which bus to take, as there are many routes.Guangzhou is a large city, and there are 4 train stations within the city, so be sure to know your destination before using public transport.
City Transportation
During my time in Guangzhou, I used the metro (subway) and buses for transportation. You can download the metro map to your phone to make planning easier.
I was a bit disappointed because embedded metro maps for China often become outdated quickly due to the rapid development of the railway network in Chinese cities. Therefore, it’s best to check the official website for the most up-to-date map of Guangzhou.
For bus routes, it’s typical to use Baidu Maps (the most comprehensive) for navigation. Make sure to download the Baidu Maps app. Alternatively, Bing Maps is also English-friendly for finding bus routes, but be aware that the GPS coordinates on Bing Maps are often off by about 200 meters.
Bus fares in Guangzhou are cheap, and there are stops everywhere. Some buses are like BRT (similar to TransJakarta).I recommend purchasing a prepaid transport card, *羊城通 (Yang Cheng Tong)*, which can be used for the metro, buses, and even at convenience stores (7-Eleven also sells these cards).
Canton Tower
Canton Tower (广州塔) is the landmark of Guangzhou. It’s not official unless you’ve taken a photo with the tower in the background, which resembles the waist of a slim girl. You can get here by taking Metro Line 3 or the APM Line and getting off at the Canton Tower station.
There are various tickets available that you can purchase through official agents like Klook or directly on the spot at the first floor of Canton Tower.
Shang Xia Jiu Pedestrian Street
Every tier-1 city in China has a pedestrian street that doubles as both a shopping area and a public space. In Guangzhou, this is Shang Xia Jiu (上下九步行街). It’s a commercial street (or block) that sells food, fashion, and jewelry. The metro stop is Cultural Park (文化公园站).
If you go up Canton Tower, you’ll find several viewing decks on different floors. Initially, you stop at 428m for the indoor viewing area, which has glass floors. At 450m, there’s an outdoor observation deck with the Bubble Tram. If you go even higher to 488m, the view expands even further.
On clear days, you can spot Baiyun Mountain in the distance. You can also see Citic Plaza (中信广场), often considered the city center, and a small island which is part of the Asian Games Park.I also recommend taking the Pearl River Night Cruise to capture beautiful photos and experience the stunning views of Guangzhou.
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
Another area worth visiting is Beijing Road Pedestrian Street (北京路). This street is more tourist-friendly compared to Shang Xia Jiu, as it has more internationally recognized brands, which I’m sure will be familiar to you, haha.
In addition, this area holds historical sites, including a city gate from the 7th century and stones that were part of the road from that era. You can also take Metro Line 6 and get off at the Beijing Road station.
Baiyun Mountain
If you’ve ever wondered why Guangzhou’s airport is called Baiyun International Airport, it’s because the city is located near Baiyun Mountain. The translation of Baiyun is “White Cloud Mountain.”The summit isn’t very high, just 427 meters, so you can easily spend half a day here enjoying a more relaxed atmosphere.
There are several “entrances” to the mountain. The easiest way is to take Metro Line 2 and get off at Baiyun Park station (白云公园). However, if you plan to take the cable car, there’s a different entrance, so you’ll need to refer to the map and take the transport to Yuntai Huayuan (云台花园) or Baiyun Cable Way (白云山索道). One example is to take the metro to Dongshankou and then transfer to bus 245.
The one-way cable car ticket costs around 25 RMB per person. It’s a fun ride, and it wasn’t crowded (maybe because I went during the Chinese New Year season).
Once you reach the cable car terminal, it’s a good idea to buy a bus ticket for a picnic tour around the scenic areas on the mountain slopes. In spring, you can see peach blossoms, though when I went about a month before spring, the flowers had started to bloom but hadn’t yet reached full bloom.The tour of Baiyun Mountain ends at the West Gate, and from there, you can either walk (about 1km) to the nearest metro station or take a city bus.
Shopping
Guangzhou has plenty of shopping malls, but if you’re in Guangzhou, you’re likely not looking for a mall. People usually come for wholesale markets, and even if you don’t plan on buying anything, you’ll be tempted once you enter the wholesale markets in Guangzhou.
For famous malls, the Tianhe district is well-known (Metro: Tianhe Station), where you can shop for international brands at Parc Central Mall (which has an Apple Store) and in Zhujiang New Town (珠江新城).
In Guangzhou, people often look for cheap, characteristic Chinese products, such as garments or bags, whether for personal use or for selling. Guangzhou is like a showcase for the factories in Guangdong Province, so you can find anything here, and you can even place custom orders at the wholesale markets.
Some markets you can visit (take at least half a day for each, as there’s so much to see) include:
- Baima Market: Located near Guangzhou Railway Station, this market is great for fashion and bags (usually local brands or generic ones, which can be bought wholesale).
- Onelink Plaza (万菱广场): Here you can find electric bicycles, toys, souvenirs, and bags.
- Yide Toys and Gifts Wholesale Centre (一德路玩具礼品市场): A place for souvenirs and toys for both kids and adults.
- Liwan Market (荔湾广场): A good spot to find toys, including drones, electronic games, and more.